Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-09-09

locked doors being found still locked,
that il was not until after careful eX-
animation that the stolen Times were
missed. Lady Mills and Mrs. Carew
found their dre>sing-cases locked; but
when they opened them, each found
that the most valuable of the contents
were gone.
The butler and Sir Jonas himself
examined the plate-chest together
That was locked. too. and, on
first opening it. they congratulated
themselves on its having escaped. But,
on removing that part of it which is
in constant use, they found that the
gold plate, which is used only now and
then. and some solid silver cups and
candlesticks had been taken. But the
loss which has caused the greatest sem
sation' is Mrs. Cunningham She
came into the brealfast-room quite
white and scarcely able to speak, with
some pebbles and a piece of cotton wool
IN her hands. She declares that she
carried about on her person, sewn up
in wash-leather and cottonwood, a
very valuable set of diamonds and
cats eyes; that it was not until long
after she discovered her other
losses that she cut open the leather,
just to make sure that her greatest
treasure was safe; that she found the
Jewels gone and the pebbles she pro-
duced in their place. The poor wom-
an was so historical that it was long
time before she could tell us all about
it. She declares that she slept with
them under her pillow. and that no
one in the world knew where she kept
them, for she never mentioned the fact
to any one
"Oh, but that is not quite true, Mr..
Carruthcrs! For she told me-"
$50 she said," said he, looking at me
steadily. "But you could never have
repeated such thing to any one who
could make 4 wrong use of the knowl-
edge"
'Oh, no! The only person spoke Of
it to was Mr.. Rayner."
"Mr. Rayncr" said he, quickly.
"You could not have chosen worse
person to intrust the secret to, am
afraid"
"What do you mean?"
why. he is the most talkative man
l know"
"Oh. but he would not repeat a
thing like THAR said ], earnestly. HE
scolded me for telling him, and said
such condolences should never be re-
peatcd, no matter to whom"
That's all right" said he. much re-
lieved. "Then l shall tell Mrs. Cum
bingham you didn't mention it to any
| one. The poor woman is half out of
her mind; it was she who sent me over
here to-day. to find out whether you
had spoken about it in the presence of
| any one who could use the knowledge"
And is no one suspected?" | asked,
with trembling lips.
AT present we know nothing, and
we suspect a different person every
minute. The robbery had been SO
well arranged, and was carried out
with such discrimination-for nothing
but the best of every thing was taken
| that at first the servants were suspect
eel of completely. But my man Cor
ion. who has no end of sense. sug-
rested that it was only fair to them
all to have their boxes examined at
"t'. This WAS done. but no trace of
| nHl TIA was found. OF course that
dn's not prove that they may not have
gwen information to the thieves. who
ever they We're. There has been
gang of navvics at work on the rail-
way close ty for the past fortnight,
and hat belonging to one of them
was found in the garden, and has been
identified already; but it seems that
the friends of the man it belongs to can
prove that he passed the night drunk
in the village. So at present we know
absolutely nothing. Gordon told me
privately that he doesn't believe either
the servants or the navvies have had
any thing to do with it, and he pointed
out the resemblance between this and
a robbery which took place some time
| ago at the house of another of my
friends, Lord Dalston, whom l had
been staying with not long before. He
believes that it is the work of regular
jewel robbcr. and that very likely he
got discharged servant to supply him
with the information. Ipointed out to
him that no servant who had long left
could have given him such precise de-
tails as he seems to have had concern
ing the jewels of the ladies who were
only visiting there, for instance. But
could not convince him. As for Mrs.
Cunningham's that really seems mar
velous, because she is cautious sort Of
woman. / suppose her maid somehow
found out the secret, and then told it
tO-Heaven knows whom"
II suppose So" said I, mechanically.
was trying to put together what I
had Just heard and what had already
known. MIR. Carruthers rose.
81 need not trouble Mrs. Rayner at
all now that ! have seen you," said he.
MRS. Rayner!" l repeated, in the
same mechanical stupid way.
Eyes. When the servant told me
you were out. she said 1 could see Mrs.
Rayner. did not want to disturb her.
knowing that she has the reputation Of
being an invalid. But she insisted"
"Wait one moment" said I. as he
took my hand. "Arc you quite sure.
Mr.. Carruthers, that the robbery took
place last night?"
Before I uttered the last words, his
eyes suddenly left my face, and were
fixed on some object behind me.
1 turned, and saw in the doorway
Mrs. Rayner, paler and more impassive
than ever, and Sarah. All the doors
at the Alders opened noiselessly, and
they had overheard me. And, as l
looked at Sarah's face. my heart beat
faster with fear, and with suspicion
become certainty. for l knew that was
on the right track.
To be continued.